Car ploughs into Queen's Day parade

By our news desk

A car ploughed into a crowd of people in Apeldoorn on Thursday during an
official visit there by the Dutch royal family. Five people were killed and
12 wounded. The authorities say the 38-year-old driver was targeting the
royal family.

An unidentified man in a black Suzuki Swift ploughed into a crowd of onlookers
in Apeldoorn, 90 kilometres southeast of Amsterdam, during a visit to the
city by the Dutch royal family on the occasion of Queen's Day. Eyewitnesses,
which included NRC Handelsblad photographer Merlin Daleman, said the
driver "clearly intended" to ram the bus carrying the royal family
on its way to the royal palace 't Loo.

At a press conference at 3.45 p.m., authorities said four people have been
killed. Thirteen people were wounded, five of whom were in serious
condition. One of the wounded later died at the hospital, bringing the death
toll to five.

The driver, a 38-year-old native Dutchman from Huissen, has been arrested but
could not be interrogated by police as he was being operated on. According
to sources quoted by public broadcaster NOS he is braindead.

But the authorities say he admitted to police immediately after his arrest
that he intended to attack the royal family. No explosives were found in the
car, and there is "no link with [international] terrorism",
authorities say. According to the mayor of Apeldoorn, Fred de Graaf, it
seems to be the action of a lone madman.

Seven-hundred policemen were on duty to provide security for the royal family
and the festivities in Apeldoorn. Two policemen were wounded; one is in
serious condition.

Queen Beatrix expressed sympathy with the victims in a televised speech. She
said the royal family is "speechless that such a terrible thing could
have happened."

Photo WFA

Photos Merlin Daleman

Eyewitnesses say the black Suzuki crashed through the crowd barriers at the
Jachtlaan at 11.50 a.m. with a speed of about 80 kilometres per hour. He was
headed in the direction of the open bus carrying the royal family, which had
just turned onto the Loolaan. The car came to a stop when it hit a monument
on the corner of the Loolaan. Crown prince Willem Alexander and princess
Máxima immediately jumped up and covered their mouths in consternation.

According to eyewitnesses, the black Suzuki had been seen earlier in the day
on the Amerfoortsesteenweg. "The car was stopped by police," an
eyewitness told Radio 1 news. "He turned onto a side street and took
off at high speed... The driver was a 25 or 26-year old man." Other
eyewitnesses added that the man was white.

After it crashed, firefighters had to use electric saws to get the drive out
of the car. Around 12.17 p.m. he was carried into an ambulance. His body was
not covered with a white sheet, which implies that he was still alive at the
time.

The bus carrying the royal family continued to the royal palace 't Loo in
Apeldoorn. The government information service RVD and the mayor of Apeldoorn
later announced that all festivities for Queen's Day in Apeldoorn were
cancelled. Many festivities elsewhere were also being cancelled.

Queen's Day is the commemoration of the birthday of queen Juliana (1909-2004).
Over the years it has grown into a nationwide celebration of Dutchness and
togetherness, attracting crowds of up to 800,000 people in Amsterdam alone.